Transferrer of the thermodynamic characteristics of two gases

ABSTRACT

A ROTARY EXCHANGER IN WHICH THE TERMODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO GAS CURRENTS ARE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE CURRENT TO THE OTHER WHILE THEY ARE BEING PASSED THROUGH THE EXCHANGER BODY IN ZONES SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND IN WHICH ENTRAPPED GAS FROM ONE CURRENT IS REMOVED IN AN INTERMEDIATE PURGING ZONE BY THE OTHER CURRENT BEING PASSED THERETHROUGH AND RETURNED TO THE FIRST CURRENT.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Per Gunner Norback Lidingo, Sweden [2]] Appl. No. 745,431

[22] Filed July 17, 1968 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 [73] Assignee Carl Georg Munters Stocksund, Sweden [32] Priority July 20, 1967 3 3] Sweden [54] TRANSFERRER OF THE THERMODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO GASES 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 165/5, 165/9 51 rm. Cl F28d 19/00 [50] Field of Search 165/5, 7, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,586,817 6/1926 Ljungstrom 165/9 3,338,300 8/1967 Turunen et a1. 165/5 3,374,829 3/1968 Veser et a1 165/7 Primary Examiner-Albert W. Davis, Jr. Attorney-Eric Y. Munson ABSTRACT: A rotary exchanger in which the thermodynamic characteristics of two gas currents are transferred from one current to the other while they are being passed through the exchanger body in zones separated from one another and in which entrapped gas from one current is removed in an intermediate purging zone by the other current being passed therethrough and returned to the first current.

PATENTH] JUN28 I971 SHEET 2 BF 3 Fig.2

I I y 5 PATENTEDJUH28|97| 3581723 SHEET 3 OF 3 ia-11mg] TRANSFERR-ER or 'IIIE THERMODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS or TWO GASES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a transferrer of the thermodynamic characteristics of two gases.

More particularly this invention relates to a regenerative transferrer of the thermodynamic characteristics of two gases, by means of which heat and/or moisture are exchanged between two currents of gases, forming a primary current and a secondary current, said transferrer comprising a rotatable body or rotor consisting of or containing a transfer medium formed with channels or passageways open in an axial direction, said rotary body being passed through zones separated from one another by said two gas currents, a cleanblowing zone being provided in the transition from the secon' dary gas zone to the primary gas zone by the rotary body, in which clean-blowing zone secondary gas remaining in the passages of the rotary body is blown away to the secondary gas zone by means of primary gas.

The primary gas may be constituted by fresh atmospheric air which is introduced into a space or room for ventilation thereof and which in the transferrer exchanges heat and moisture with the consumed room air which thus constitutes the secondary gas current. In the moment when a portion of the rotor leaves the secondary air zone the passageways thereof are filled with consumed air which is not desired to follow with the fresh air into the room and which thus must be caused to escape with the secondary air into the ambient atmosphere.

In the ventilation of rooms it is usually aimed at to introduce an equal quantity of fresh air into the room as is withdrawn from said room. In structures hitherto known one has been compelled for control and adjustment of the quantities of air passing through the rotary body to take into consideration the disturbance of the distribution of air caused by the cleanblowing or purging zone when the primary air at the one end face of the rotor, viewed in the axial direction, has had direct connection with secondary air at the opposed end face of the rotor through the clean-blowing zone. Calculations for determination of compensation of the disturbance can be made, but they are relatively complicated and remain in spite thereof uncertain, which involves a considerable complication in the initial and subsequent .adjustments of transferrer apparatus and devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One main object of the invention is to overcome this drawback by providing a transferrer of the kind in consideration with a clean-blowing device having a clean-blowing passageway including a clean-blowing zone, the inlet and outlet of the clean-blowing passageway discharging into the primary gas zone and the secondary gas zone, respectively, opening at the same end face of the rotary body and being in communication with one another through said rotary body.

The clean-blowing zone is thus subdivided into two portions which to advantage are designed equally great and which result in that the clean-blowing air need not be taken into consideration when balancing the flows of primary and secondary air. If thus the remaining effective front area of the rotary body is equally great in both zones and the fall in pressure in both said zones is adjusted to the same value, the same quantities of air will automatically pass through the transferrer via the zones and thereby a balancing is obtained with regard to the quantities of air introduced into, and withdrawn from, the space to be ventilated. In response to the actual conditions at hand, each of the two zones of the transferrer can be brought to communicate with the fresh air side or with the consumed air side. It is only necessary to chose the direction of rotation of the rotary body so as to cause the clean-blowing zone to be located on the right side between the zones.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bearing for the rotary body which is simple and cheap in manufacture,

pennits easy assemblage and disassemblage and in spite thereof ensures correct position of the rotary body.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sealing means for transferrers of the type in consideration which is simple in structure, easy to assemble and which for its correct operation does not require any extreme precision with respect to the shape of the stationary housing encasing the rotary body.

Still an object of the invention is to provide a rotary body composed of layers in which body the layers are combined to sections which are glued together, whereby it is rendered possible to manufacture rotary bodies having very large diameters.

The transferrer according to the invention can also be adapted to operate as a dehydrator, the primary current then representing the air to be dried and the secondary current being constituted by regenerating air or gas which is heated to an excess temperature so as to be capable of moving the moisture which the transfer medium of the rotary body, such as the layers thereof, have pickedup in the primary airzone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transferrer intended for room ventilation and constructedaccording to the invention, and with parts thereof assumed to be cut off for improved clarity.

FIG. 2 is a view of the transferrer of FIG. 1 with its stationary parts shown in a horizontal section following a plane located above the axis of the rotary body.

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the rotary body, a stationary portion of the casing of the transferrer and a sealing member provided therebetween represented in a cross-sectional view.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the casing and the hub of the rotary body.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of sealing members disposed on both sides of the rotary body.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the assemblage of the rotor from sectors cut out from quadrangular blocks.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally denotes a casing of a transferrer intended for room ventilation and composed of two mutually parallel end pieces 12, 14 joined together by means of plates l6, 18 to be assembled and disassembled by means of bolt connections 15 and projecting around the edge portions of said end pieces. These end pieces are formed with circular openings 19 (FIG. I) located straight opposite one another and subdivided into sectors by means of spokes 20, the number of which in the embodiment shown is four, distributed by relatively to one another. In the illustrated embodiment the openings are divided vertically into two equal half-portions of which one half is passed by the entering fresh air and the other portion by the escaping consumed room air. Rigidly secured onto the end pieces 12, 14 are tubular connection jackets 22 and 26 which in turn are in connection with ducts leading to and from the room or space and the ambient air, respectively. A tubular jacket 22 of this type united with the end piece 14 connects the transferrer 10 with the room or space to be ventilated and is transgressed by the consumed air in the direction of the arrow 24 (FIG. 2). The other end piece 12 carries a jacket 26 which constitutes a continuation of the passageway or zone for the consumed or secondary air. The fresh air isintroduced through a jacket 28 into the transferrer and escapes therefrom through ajacket 30 into the room. These tubular jackets may have an elongated square shape as becomes evident from FIG. 1.

Provided within the space defined by the end pieces 12, I4 and the plates 16, 18 is a rotary body or rotor 32, which has a hub 34 and an annular body disposed about said hub and composed of layers which form narrow interspaces or passageways extending from end to end in the axial direction of the body. Disposed about said body 32 at the outer circumference thereof is a strip 36. The shape of the layers will be described in detail more below.

The hub 34 is mounted by means of two ball bearings 38 (FIG. 4) on a rotationally stationary bearing shaft 40 which is fixed at its one end only in the one end piece 14, the spokes 20 of which with circular end walls 42, 44 and an angular flange 43 are joined to a central plate 41 for this purpose. The bearing shaft 40 is rigidly secured onto a circular plate 45, which is centered and fixed by pressure on the end wall 44 when a bolt 48 penetrating through the centering plate 41 is screwed into the shaft 40. v

The hub 34 is adjustable in the axial direction relatively to the shaft 40 via a sleeve 46 which is displaceable in relation to the bearings. The sleeve 46 is locked in desired position in relation to a spacing sleeve 49 mounted between the bearings by means of a screw 50 which is accessible from outside through openings 51 formed in the one end wall of the hub 34. A retaining ring 52 is screwed onto the shaft 40 outside of the outer ball bearing 38.

This bearing device permits easy installation and disassembly of the rotary body 32. The rotary body 32 is fixed in its operative position or dismounted, respectively, by operating a single screw 50. As the end walls of the hub 34 not at all or to an insignificant degree only project past the plane end surfaces of the rotary body, the rotor 32 can be introduced into and removed out from the casing upon removal of the plates 18 on one side thereof. The one-sided supporting of the rotary body 32 has further the advantage that the axis of the body 32 always maintains its fixed position relative that end wall 14 onto which it is secured. A small displacement of the two end walls in relation to one another during transportation or installation of the transferrer can be permitted without the rotor thereby being given an inclination involving the danger ofjamming thereof. I

Disposed around the edges of the rotary body 32 and between the two zones formed in the transferrer are sealing members, as is most clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Said sealing members are fixed onto the end pieces 12 and 14 and collaborate with the lateral plane surfaces formed by the layers of the rotary body 32. FIG. 3 shows a sealing strip 54 which by means of resilient clamps 56 and a screw 58 is supported by a flange 60 secured onto one end piece such as the end piece 14. The sealing strip 54 is made from a suitable material such as cork, fibers, asbestos, plastic or the like. It is retained in position by the mutually spaced resilient clamps, as also will be seen from FIG. I, and it has some possibility of movement within said clamps when the rotary body 32 is being installed.

When the rotary body 32 is mounted in place within the casing 10 the strips 54 may be inserted in their clamps 56 but be retracted to be afterwards advance manually towards the plane lateral faces of the rotary body 32. Due to their resilient mounting the strips 54 are then capable of automatically adjusting themselves in response to inevitable inclined positions of the rotary body 32 or similar small irregularities so that they with a small play only about the whole circumference and along the radial partition walls bring about a sealing against the rotary body 32. The direction of revolution of the latter is preferably in accordance with the arrow 62 in FIG. 3 so that the strip 54 can yield together with the clamps 56 acting as springs if it comes to direct contact with the rotary body 32 during the running in ofthe transferrer l0. Hereby the strip 54 is prevented from becoming damaged or damaging the layers of the rotary body 32.

The rotary body 32 is rotated by means ofa motor 64 which over a reduction gear 66 drives a pulley 68. A belt 70 is positioned about said pulley 68 and the cylindrical strip 36 of the rotary body 32. In a transferrer 10 for ventilation purposes the number of revolutions of the rotarybody 32 may be of the order of IO revolutions per minute.

Provided on that side of the rotary body 32, which separates the flow passageways formed by the ducts 26 and 28 from one another are both above and below the centering plate 41 several relatively narrow spokes 20 which carry sealing strips 74 according to FIG. 5 and which are joined together by means of a semicircular strip portion 75 along the flange 43 of the centering plate 41. Provided at the opposite side below the centering plate 41 is a similar narrow spoke 20 with which a sealing strip 76 cooperates. Above the axis of the rotary body 32 the spoke or partition member 78 is, however, devised as a sector from which a section of equal shape and size extends peripherally past the vertical spoke 20 on the other side of the rotary body 32. The sector-shaped spoke or partition member 78 cooperates with two sealing strips 80, 82 which are united with one another and with the lower sealing strip 76 by a partcircular strip portion 84 which is carried by the centering plate 41. Hereby a double clean-blowing section is formed within the transferrer between the two zones of flow. When the rotary body 32 rotates in accordance with the arrow 62 FIG. 2) and passes through the left'hand zone formed by the ducts 22 and 26 for the escaping consumed room air, heat and moisture present in the same will be picked up by the layers of the rotary body (winter conditions assumed to prevail) to be delivered thereupon to the fresh air streaming through the rotor in couritercurrent via the other zone of the transferrer. It is not desired that the room air, which when the layers of the rotary body 32 are just passing over into the fresh air zone is present in the interspaces of the rotary body, shall follow with the fresh air current according to the arrow 86 into the room. It is the purpose of the clean-blowing zone to introduce fresh air into the interspaces of the rotary body 32 when these arrive at the fresh air zone, and this fresh air flows through the interspaces and cleans them from consumed air to escape together with said consumed air through the outlet duct 26. In the clean-blowing section the air initially flows according to the arrow 88 to the interspace 92 screened off by the strips 80, 82 inside of the partition member or spoke sector 78 and then makes a turn and reverts into the other half-part of the cleanblowing section according to the arrow to escape into the duct 26 together with the consumed air. By this shape of the clean-blowing zone it is obtained that the quantities of air which, respectively, leave the ventilated room and are introduced thereinto pass through the transferrer 10 without being changed quantitatively as a consequence of the existence of the clean-blowing zone. The falls in pressure within the flowing zones can therefore be utilized as a direct measuring unit for the magnitude of the quantities of air in consideration, which renders possible a simple adjustment and control of the magnitude of said quantities. This is of particular importance when the pressure levels on the primary air side and the secondary air side differ substantially from one another.

The sealing device has circular strip portions 94, 96 extendingabout the circumference on both sides of the contact insert of the rotary body 32 so that leakage in this way is effectively counteracted.

The devised type of sealing means comprising axially displaceable, easily accessible and adjustable sealing strips results in that the stationary parts of the transferrer need not be worked or mounted with very high precision. Possibly 0c curing differences in play between the rotary body and the parts carrying the sealing strips are thus equalized in a simple manner when the sealing strips are finally adjusted in relation to the rotary body.

The contact insert may be composed of thin layers or sheets in the manner disclosed, for example, in the patent No. 3,23 l ,409. Said layers form narrow axial interspaces or channels extending from end to end and are preferably alternately plane and corrugated or pleated, the height of the corrugations being preferably as low as between I and 3 millimeters. The layers may be made of asbestos as is disclosed in said patent and they are impregnated with a hygroscopic substance, such as lithium chloride, for example.

The insert of the rotary body 32 may be composed of sector-shaped portions 98 (FIG. 1) which in turn are obtained from blanks having the form of rectangular blocks 100 as will be seen from FIG. 6. These blocks are built up from mutually parallel layers glued together and then severed obliquely following the line 102 into two equal portions 100a and lb of parallelly tapering or pointed trapezium contour of which the latter portion is turned to the position lOOc, whereupon the portions are joined with one another. The outer and inner edges of the composed blocks are machined to a cylindric contour along the lines 32a and 46a, respectively. The portions which thus become waste are small as will be understood from the FIGURE. The sector-shaped blocks are united with each other by means of a suitable adhesive such as an epoxy resin. In this way rotary bodies having very large diameters can be manufactured. As the orientation of the layers in the individual sector-shaped blocks becomes different, the tendency to formation of such cracks or fissures between two layers which follow the surface extension thereof, is reduced considerably.

Due to the exchange of temperature and moisture brought about by the transferrer of the invention for ventilation purposes, heat contained in the escaping room air is at least wintertime to its major part transferred to the entering, relatively colder fresh air. Further, the rotary body picks up moisture from the escaping air which is delivered to the entering air, which in particular wintertime, is of importance in order to avoid dessication of the air in the room.

The apparatus canwith its substantial parts even be arranged to operate as dehydrator, its purpose then being to dehydrate air by means of a regenerating air current which has a high temperature exceeding 100 C. In this case also it is essential that the rotary body is arranged to be easily demountable and that the sealing members are mounted in an easily adjustable manner.

ln a dehydrator the area of the regeneration zone amounts to a minor fraction of the primary air zone, such as a fourth thereof.

It may occur that the primary air current and the secondary air current have different magnitude. In this case also, it is of importance to have the possibility of measuring the magnitude of the currents or of adjusting them to desired magnitude in the easy manner afforded by the invention.

While the transferrer of the thermodynamic characteristics of two gases has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of the invention, without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A regenerative transferrer for the thermodynamic characteristics of two air streams consisting of a primary air stream and a secondary air stream, said transferrer comprismg:

a. a rotary transfer body having open-ended axially extending passages, and

b. means forming a primary air zone, a secondary air zone and a purging zone located between said primary and secondary air zones,

c. said purging zone having an inlet and outlet located on one side of the rotary body and a space located on the other side of the rotary body in communication with the inlet and outlet via the passages of the rotary body,

(1. said zone forming means including a partition disposed adjacent said space to separate a portion out of the primary and secondary air zones and sealing means for defining a path of flow through the purging zone,

e. said sealing means including first sealing means disposed along each side of the partition to enclose said space and second sealing means disposed on the side of the rotary body opposite said space to define said inlet and outlet of the purging zone.

2. A transferrer as defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprise strips retained in position with resilient holder members.

3. A transferrer as defined in claim 1 wherein said separated portions of the primary and secondary air zones are equal in SIZ.

4. A transferrer as defined in claim 3 wherein said separated portions have the shape of sectors. 

